Eotary engine



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'Unis SAMUEL HUSE, OF CHICAGO; ILLINOIS.

ROTARY ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 22,955; dated February 15, 1859.

TiaZZ-whom it may concern.' Be it known that I, SAMUEL HUSE, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have inventeda new and Improved Rotary Steam-Engine, of which the following isa full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure l is a side elevation, a portion of the outer shell or casing being broken away. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section on the line fr, of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view, the outer shell and cylinder being both removed to show the parts within.

That others skilled in the art may understand and use my invention I will proceed to describe the manner in which I have carried out the saine.

In the drawings A, A2 are heads supported on feet a the shaft B to which the power of the engine is applied being passed through these heads in suitable stuffing boxes. Between the two heads A, A2 is a cylinder C, the flanches of which are attached to the heads by screws c. Over the periphery of the anches b fits an outer shell or casing D, an annular space or steam chamber being thus formed between the shell and the cylinder C. This annular steam chamber is divided into two portions e, e2, by a longitudinal partition f at the top of the cylinder which extends along on the outside of the cylinder C from one flanch b to the other and also by a partition g, which starts from a point 5 on one flanch Ab and winds spirally halfway around the outside of the cylinder to the other flanch at the opposite end of it. These partitions are steam tight, and the spaces c, e2 communicate the one e with the induction pipe at h, and Vthe other e2 with the eduction or exhaust at z', as indicated by the arrows Fig. 2. The heads A, A2 and cylinder C are stationary the parts which form the valves and pistons being connected with the shaft B and revolving within the cylinder as will now be explained.

To the heads A, A2 are secured on the inner side and projecting into the cylinder C screw cams E, E2 of the form shown in Fig. 3 and detached in Fig. 4, the cam E, on the head A being placed with its thickest or highest portion 6, opposite to the thinnest portion 7 of the cam E2 on the head A2.

The shaft B cariies a. heavy cylindrical hub F, the ends of which are recessed into and" revolve in the space 7s, (Fig. 4,) in the middle of the cams E, E2. To this hub F are secured two rings or heads mi, m2 of such a diameter that they shall revolve steam tight within the cylinder C, while the face or side of each runs in close contact with the higher portion 6 of the cams E, E2. This leaves a` steam space between eachv of the heads my, mi2 and the inclined face of the adjacent cani or E2, thespace gradually enlarging toward the thinner portion 7 of the cam.

Three grooves are cut radially in the hub F for the whole of its length, corresponding slots being cut through the heads m, m2. Into each of these grooves and slots are inserted two pistons or valves n., n2, which slide longitudinally in the grooves, their outer ends being kept in close contact with the faces of the cams E, E2 by a spring placed between the two valves (see Fig. 3). These valves are of such a width that the inner edge rests on the bottom of the groove in the hub F and the outer edge projects out on a line with the periphery of the hea-ds m, m2, as shown in Fig. 2. As before stated the cams E, E2 are so placed with respect to each other that the thick part of one shall be opposite the thin part of the other, the distance in a straight line parallel to the shaft B from different portions of the face of one cani to the face of the opposite cam being equal. The valves n, n2 will as the shaft B and hub F are revolved remain in contact with the surfaces of the two cams and also with the inner surface of the cylinder C. Steam is not admitted into the space between the two heads m, m2 but only between these heads and the faces of the cams E E2. Each of these cams has cut in it on the thicker side holes o, p, which enter from the edge which is in Contact with the cylinder C and come out on the face of the cam (Fig. 4,) forming steam and exhaust ports. Corresponding holes o', p, in the cylinder C establish a steam communication between the space-s e, c2 on the outside of the cylinder C, and the spaces 8 between the heads m, m2 and the cams E, E2. The spiral partition g allows the holes p at the opposite ends of the cylinder C to both outlet into the space e2 although placed on opposite sides of the cylinder and in the same way the holes o to communicate with the space e.

Y The operation of this engine is as follows: Steam enters through the inlet pipe it to the steam space e, thence through the holes 0, 0, to space 8, between the head m and cam E, and behind the valve n, which happens to be in position to receive the pressure of the steam by which this valve is driven in the direction of the arrow on the head m, F ig. 3 and the shaft B is revolved;

i outside of the cylinder C, and thence through the eductor pipe z' as indicated by the arrows. A similar state of things is going on at the opposite end of the cylinder, except that the valves are in an inverse position. The engine is reversed by changing the current of steam, and causing it to enter at the pipe t' and exhaust at the'pipe 7b in the customary manner.

This engine like many others of its class is adapted for use as a pump or water engine. I have heretofore spoken of this engine as constructed with three sets of valves n, n2; it may however be made with a greater or less number as circumstances may require.

`What I claim as my invent-ion and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The cams E, E2 with their steam and exhaust ports in combination with the heads mi, m2 pistons n, n2 and cylinder C, operating in the manner substantially as herein set forth.

SAML. HUSE. Vitnesses C. D. VOLF, I. A. PATMoR. 

